Just the FAQ

School officials plan to announce the location at Monday night's school board meeting, but it will be north of University Avenue.

Where would the school in Savoy be built?

At the corner of Sunflower Street and Prairie Rose Lane in the Prairie Fields subdivision, east of U.S. 45.

Who would get to attend the school in Savoy?

All current Savoy students likely would fit in the school, which would hold about 400 students, according to district officials. Under equity guidelines, at least 22 percent would have to be black. The district would recruit black students from other parts of the district.

What will the new schools look like?

Schools north and in Savoy will be tested prototypes, models already designed and built by BLDD Architects, to save design time and money. Dr. Howard will be designed from scratch to fit into that neighborhood.

What will the construction and remodeling cost homeowners?

The owner of a $150,000 home will pay an extra $3.50 a month, or $42 a year,if assessments remain the same. Increased assessments would raise that amount.

What will happen to Dr. Howard students and staff while their school is being rebuilt?

They'll be housed in the new northwest school for a year while Dr. Howard is razed and a three-story, accessible school is built there.

Why build a school on the north side of town when schools there aren't full?

To address concerns about equity in the district, officials signed a consent decree and agreed, among other things, to build two new strands of classes, more than 200 seats, north of University Avenue by the 2005-06 school year. The district has applied for an extension.

Will the district have to raise taxes to staff and cover expenses of the new schools?

Officials say growth of housing construction in Champaign and Savoy will increase student numbers enough to fill the schools, and increased general state aid paid for those additional students will cover costs to run them.

Who gets air conditioning? Who gets ceiling fans?

Barkstall, Stratton and Kenwood elementaries and Centennial High already are air-conditioned. Air conditioning would be installed at all other elementary schools during the remodeling. Fans would be installed at Jefferson, Edison and Franklin middle schools, Central High and the Columbia Center.

Where will the land to be purchased for a future high school be located?

Near the intersection of Mattis Avenue and Olympian Drive, near the High School of St. Thomas More.

How have district demographics changed since 1999?

Of the 9,107 students enrolled in 1999, 62 percent were white, 30.9 percent were black, 1.4 percent were Hispanic and 4.7 percent were Asian. Of the 8,950 enrolled in 2005, 51.9 percent were white, 34.6 percent were black, 4.7 percent were Hispanic and 8.4 percent were Asian.